Poor Bret Michaels. As I’m sure everyone’s heard by now, the Rock of Love reality star/rocker got pelted in the head by a descending backdrop whilst performing on stageat the Tony Awards this past week.
If you haven’t seen it - then, well, fine, here’s some video footage:
Originally, Bret just laughed it off, saying “All I remember is Shrek and the donkey helping me up, and Liza Minnelli giving me a towel.” Good sport!
However, today, his rep has come out with a public statement, expressing annoyance with the backdrop plopdrop. My fave parts in bold:
“After a performance by singer Bret Michaels at the Tony Awards Sunday night, he turned to exit the stage and was struck in the head by a descending half-ton stage prop, sweeping him off his feet causing contusions to his face and knocking him to the ground. Even at that point of impact, the heavy prop was still not halted and continued to descend even though Michaels remained underneath it. Witnesses state the singer moved himself out of the way just moments before the prop touched down. With all due respect to everyone working the Tony Awards, somewhere down the line there was a lack of communication and the prop should have been immediately halted until Michaels was clear. Sunday morning at rehearsals, Bret was never informed that the descending set piece existed, let alone would be moving into position as he was exiting the stage. Although Bret was visibly dazed, he remained extremely calm backstage as members of Poison’s road crew brought him a towel to wipe the blood from his face. His only comment at the time was, ‘What the hell just hit me?’ The severity of this injury is not being taken lightly as symptoms from head and neck injuries at first may seem like nothing and sometimes do not present for days. At this time, the full extent of his injuries remain to be seen until all x-rays are back. I find it surprising that a Tony spokesperson would brush off this incident with a comment stating, ‘Mr. Michaels missed his mark,’ with no mention of concern for his condition. If everyone at the Tonys were aware that Bret missed his mark, then they should have been aware enough to stop the set piece from hitting him or at least slowed it down until he cleared the stage. I feel had this incident happened to Liza Minelli, Dolly Parton or Elton John, the Tonys would have at least issued a letter of concern.”
Oh MAN! So, a) I can’t think of anything cooler than having a member of Poison’s road crew wipe blood off your face, b) there are no marks in rock ‘n roll (unless you count TRACK MARKS badummmchhhh), and c) show the man some respect, Tony Awards!
I’m with the Bret Michaels’srep on this one. Liza Minelli may be wobblin’ on her own already with all those martinis jostlin’ around in her belly, but seriously, the second she gets smacked in the head by a stage prop, she’d raise a stink so stinky it’d be stinkier than her 2003 divorce with David Gest (oops, too soon?).
I’m putting my foot down: Bret Michaels deserves to be treated as Liza Minelli, no better, no worse. The man is a national treasure!
Besides, they both do equally wonderful things with eyeliner.
“After a performance by singer Bret Michaels at the Tony Awards Sunday night, he turned to exit the stage and was struck in the head by a descending half-ton stage prop, sweeping him off his feet causing contusions to his face and knocking him to the ground. Even at that point of impact, the heavy prop was still not halted and continued to descend even though Michaels remained underneath it. Witnesses state the singer moved himself out of the way just moments before the prop touched down. With all due respect to everyone working the Tony Awards, somewhere down the line there was a lack of communication and the prop should have been immediately halted until Michaels was clear. Sunday morning at rehearsals, Bret was never informed that the descending set piece existed, let alone would be moving into position as he was exiting the stage. Although Bret was visibly dazed, he remained extremely calm backstage as members of Poison’s road crew brought him a towel to wipe the blood from his face. His only comment at the time was, ‘What the hell just hit me?’ The severity of this injury is not being taken lightly as symptoms from head and neck injuries at first may seem like nothing and sometimes do not present for days. At this time, the full extent of his injuries remain to be seen until all x-rays are back. I find it surprising that a Tony spokesperson would brush off this incident with a comment stating, ‘Mr. Michaels missed his mark,’ with no mention of concern for his condition. If everyone at the Tonys were aware that Bret missed his mark, then they should have been aware enough to stop the set piece from hitting him or at least slowed it down until he cleared the stage. I feel had this incident happened to Liza Minelli, Dolly Parton or Elton John, the Tonys would have at least issued a letter of concern.”
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